Washington, D.C., October 21, 2009—IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is providing a $10 million loan to Celsol S.A. de C.V., known as Optima Energia, to implement up to six energy-saving projects in Mexico’s hotel sector.

Optima Energia provides complete energy- efficient solutions to clients in the hotel field.  It also provides in-depth energy analyses of hotel properties, designs energy- efficient solutions, and installs the required equipment.

The company will work with local clients to maintain their system during a multiple-year contract period, while financing the hotel’s energy equipment investment.  This complete energy- saving service package, which is still nascent in Mexico, will help improve energy performance in the country’s hotel sector.

“We look forward to a long-lasting relationship with IFC,” said Enrique Gomez Junco, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Optima Energia. “This investment will help increase energy-saving investments in the Mexican hotel sector, and allow our clients to reduce their environmental footprint by cutting energy and water costs by at least 40 percent on average.”

Atul Mehta, IFC Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, said, “This is IFC’s first direct investment in an energy-services company in the region, and we are very pleased to support Optima Energia.  The company’s innovative approach to reducing greenhouse-gas emissions in Mexico is aligned with IFC’s strategy to support local projects that help mitigate climate change.”

Since 2000, Optima has saved for its clients 24 million liters of liquefied gas, 20 million liters of diesel, 8 million cubic meters of potable water, 145 million kilowatt-hours, and 186,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, which translates into savings of $14 million a year.

IFC’s strategy in Mexico focuses on supporting the competitiveness of the private sector, promoting access to finance for underserved segments, supporting infrastructure development, and investing in areas newly opened to private-sector participation. IFC also promotes sustainability and supports projects to improve investment climate for local firms. As of June 2009, IFC’s committed portfolio in the country was $850 million, its fifth largest in the Latin America and the Caribbean region. For more information about IFC in Latin America and the Caribbean, visit: www.ifc.org/lac.

About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, creates opportunity for people to escape poverty and improve their lives. We foster sustainable economic growth in developing countries by supporting private sector development, mobilizing private capital, and providing advisory and risk mitigation services to businesses and governments. Our new investments totaled $14.5 billion in fiscal 2009, helping channel capital into developing countries during the financial crisis. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

About Optima Energia
Founded in 1988 as solar-energy systems developing company, Optima now offers energy-saving services to reduce the consumption of electricity, fuel, and water in response to the need for more comprehensive energy-related services in the Mexican market. To date, the company has carried out more than 100 energy-saving contracts in a variety of industries. For more information, visit www.optimaenergia.com.